Study looks at GRIA's impact

The Greater Rochester International Airport supported the employment of 9,998 people and produced annual economic activity of $800 million in 2009, an aviation study funded by the Federal Aviation Administration and the state Transportation Department has found.

The Greater Rochester International Airport is the only commercial service airport in the five-county region.

The airport's economic impact was measured through surveys that revealed 7,304 full- and part-time jobs and more than $484.6 million in direct expenditures in 2009. This includes on-airport businesses, airport sponsor expenditures on operations and capital improvements and visitor spending. Including indirect expenditures, the total impact for the airport was $800.4 million, supporting almost 10,000 jobs.

Susan Walsh, director of aviation at the airport, said it is heavily used by area businesses, noting that 65 percent of the travel there is business-related.

The presence of an international airport helps businesses connect with customers, Walsh said.